One way to stop a Maelstrom
by shadowwolf75
Summary: Well, it takes place during Retribution 3 and is kinda about the Chief heh, what fic of mine here isn't? and is narrated by his programmer once again . . . aw heck, just read it!


Tag fic for Retribution 3 . . . what was going behind the scenes over at Acme while Carmen, Zack and Ivy were chasing Maelstrom? Well, you're about to find out!   


One way to stop a Maelstrom . . .   
a Retribution part 3 interlude   
by Shadow Wolf75   


I sat at the console but slightly turned away from it, as I watched Josha drag a fairly large wooden box into the computer lab. It was marked with an Acme logo and a storage code that was rather familiar to me: CHIEF Unit-001. I cursed slightly under my breath, as I thought I'd put the thing so deep into storage nobody would find it again, not even it's former owner. 

The younger tech must've heard me, because he looked over and asked, "What's wrong, Tara? I'd have thought you'd be glad that I found this . . . I thought that maybe there'd be some happy memories of your early days at Acme attached to it." 

I glared at Josha for that. "No, I'm not glad you found it; it means he'll be in danger again! And those early days weren't exactly happy, either . . . that thing was created for the sole purpose of helping Carmen in tracking Maelstrom. I didn't even have a hand in building it, I just had to make sure Chief was able to operate it!" 

I noticed a pink glow from the corner of my eye; the Chief was back from C-5ing Carmen, Zack and Ivy from wherever they had to go. I turned to face him, looking slightly displeased. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? You haven't used that thing for nearly 10 years, and I'm not even sure the protocols for it are still on the system!" 

"Tara, I don't care about any of that, I just wanna help Zack and Ivy!" Chief's voice took on a pleading tone as he gave me the old puppy-dog eyes routine. "Please? You'd do the same for me if I needed help, wouldn't you? Carmen was the best we had when we first went after Maelstrom and she still needed me . . . not to be insulting to my two favorite detectives, but Zack and Ivy will probably need Carmen _and_ me!" 

I groaned slightly, knowing that he was going to get his way with or without my help. "All right, all right, you can go help those three out there fighting Maelstrom. Hell, if I refused to help, you'd probably just get Josha here to do it!" 

Chief looked extremely happy and grateful. "Thank you, Tara!" 

"Don't mention it, dear. Now then, let's see if we can't find the control system protocols for that thing on here . . ." I started a search for the files in question, then went over to help Josha to open the box. 

The other tech had brought a crowbar with him from the storage area, but wasn't having much luck getting the box open with it. I grabbed onto crowbar as well. "Okay Josha, we'll get this open on three! One, two, three!!!" On three, we both pulled the crowbar and the side of the box came off. The Chief's old robot body was in the box, half-buried in styrofoam packing peanuts. Josha and I dragged the robot out, covering the floor with half the packing material, but we'd clean that up later. We stood the bot up, dusted the few packing peanuts off of it that decided to stick, and I checked the joints to see if they needed oiled. Amazingly enough, they didn't; the robot was in nearly the same condition it was as when I stuffed it in that box and hid it in storage. 

"Doesn't look like it needs any repairs, Chief, "Josha stated to him. "I'd say we're good to go!" 

The search indicator beeped at us; it had found the files necessary to run the robot. Things were falling into place all too easily, even as much as I didn't want it to. 

"I still don't think this is a good idea . . ." I grumbled. 

Chief glared slightly at me. "Why don't you think it's a good idea, Tara? You didn't like my robot body ever since it was first constructed, but you never told me why. What's so wrong with it that you've hidden it from me for all these years?" 

I looked up at him, my eyes locked with his. "Because it puts you in danger, it exposes you to the rigors of the real world . . . at least this way, the way you are now, nothing physical can really harm you. Yes, there are disadvantages to this, but at least I don't have to worry about you getting hurt or damaged!" My eyes were tearing up a bit, but I didn't care. "At least I don't have to worry about losing you . . ." 

His gaze had softened as I confessed to him, and now Chief had tears in his eyes as well. "Tara, I never knew . . ." 

"You should have! I created you, so it's only natural I'd want to protect you!" I shrugged it off as I wiped my eyes with the edge of my sleeve, and cheered myself up a bit. "Well, you want to help Zack, Ivy and Carmen, right? Then run the protocols and start up the robot! Just promise me you'll be careful, all right?" 

"I will, Tara. Well, here goes nothing!" Chief executed the protocols and his image disappeared from the screen. Meanwhile, the robot activated, and I rushed over to keep it steady while Chief got used to it again. 

"You all right in there?" I asked. 

"Yeah, I think so. So when are you sending me over to where Carmen, Ivy and Zack are?" 

"We will in a minute, don't worry!" I hesitated for a moment, but then hugged him anyway. "Good luck, Chief . . ." 

"Thanks, Tara." 

I let go of him and went over to the console again. "One C-5 to the USS San Diego, coming up!" I clicked the activation button and the C-5 corridor swallowed the Chief, speeding him off to help Carmen and the detectives. 

Things would turn out better than I hoped; Maelstrom was captured and his evil plots thwarted . . . Carmen got away again, but I figured she would. Sort of her fitting reward for helping Acme one more time, I suppose. Oh well, there's always the next time . . . 


End file.
